HURAH!

HURAH NEWS BULLETIN – 7.4.10

Dear Friends of Haiti,

Thank you, again, to all Hurah donors for making all of our programs possible!

Our new program, Trainee in Communication, still needs substantial help. $1845. Please check out the budget proposal, or if you prefer, go directly to the news stories below in the bulletin and be convinced, of its value.

Here’s your choice of buttons to press. Thanks for checking out our Blog!

Thanks!
Tom Luce

O.K. here you go: 1)INDEX
or 2) BUDGET

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ADDITIONAL BUDGET
REQUEST – $1,845

Here’s another pitch for for additional money as
I did last month. Because of the desperate conditions in Haiti I still
believe that a small educational stipend is in order to cover the personal
expenses (food/water), that will allow GH to continue with his studies
and to keep abreast of the human rights situation which often involves
travel. Funding is needed for the phone and internet to continue both
education and work for HURAH.

Trainee in Communication – Human Rights Program – Total Budget:
$1,845 (We have already expended $3,545 for the basics (bike,
rent, internet equipment, healthcare). The rent is paid through September).

Monthly breakdown:

1. Gas-Phone ($25 each per week, 13 weeks) $650
2. Internet $60 per month (3 mos) $180
3. Stipend ($25 per week), total $325

One time expense: $250 (2 chairs, bedding,
a room fan).

New unexpected items: $440 (new motorbike repairs, equipment/work
on solar system)

TOTAL: $1,845 through September

Towards the end I will evaluate the program to
see if it will serve the goals of HURAH to partially fund a human rights
worker.

CLICK HERE TO DONATE
Online; Send Checks to Florencia Blackburn 2325 Adeline St, Oakland, Ca
94607

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Gentilhomme
Jean-Gilles: THE HUMAN RIGHTS BEAT

Note:
Gentilhomme Jean-Gilles (GH), our HURAH rep. and trainee, has continued
on bravely in spite of another obstacle–another, but minor, accident
caused by school kids jumping into the street–to keep up with events
in human rights. He is a serious, religious young man who has kept
the greater good of his Haitian sisters and brothers in his vision
as his way of life. As we go to press another obstacle, a major
virus attack on his computer, has left us without communication
on the top story of this edition.

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INDEX:

1.Violence at Camp:Attack
on the innocent

2.Advancing Labor Rights:series
of training around country on labor code

3.Progress:Solar Energy (at last!)

4.To The Defense Of Prisoners

5. Whither Haiti’s Reconstruction?

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1. VIOLENCE IN A CAMP :Attack on
Innocents

from reports filed by Gentilhomme Jean-Gilles, Hurah reporter

Picture below: one of the many hundreds of tent cities in Port-Au-Prince
where a difficult life can be made even more difficult through violence,
especially against women and children. With the courage of a true
human rights defender Gentilhomme has personally gone to the site
of a camp where violence has allegedly occurred against some people
we personally know. He has interviewed significant people putting
himself at risk and has begun to make a case that we hope will be
settled peacefully even if it has to be taken to the justice system.
We are working to engage the responsible agencies dealing with these
camps including higher levels in the police department. Thanks to
Gentilhomme we will have an objective report. UPDATE: GH’s computer
virus has been taken care of and he has sent me more pictures. He
says things are “calming down” thanks to Hurah’s presence.
More later.

The
camp in question we are keeping anonymous so as to protect the innocent.
It is one of the hundreds of refugee camps in Port-Au-Prince, housing
several thousand people. We received a credible report that it has
been the scene of a violent attack on innocent people including
children.

Note: if you wish to learn how to help these people, send an
e-mail to Tom Luce

The report says that a group of people outside the camp has taken
over “management” of the camp, setting up rigid rules
that include exacting fees from residents and threatening retaliation
if these rules are not respected. They have caused even a young
person to be beaten and have threatened violence against others.including
being shot. They have destroyed numerous tents and shelters as punishment
against those they do not like including innocent people. They let
it be known that they were prepared to “frame” people
who oppose them and put them in jail.

Some people in these camps are street children and the prejudice
against them is often severe. Some of them can be as young as the
boy shown below, 5 years of age. They can be rejected by their families,
or they may run away from abusive homes. They may be rejects or
runaways from the “restavek”(one
who lives with) system of child slavery that affects some 300,000
children. Note: this link is to a post-quake CNN report. Google
“restavek” and find many other documentaries. Hurah
has been working in special ways for the street children. We want
to protect them now in the face of violence in these tent cities.
Picture left: 5yr old boy living in the street.
Picture right, boy after being cared for by specialists in caring
for street kids.

Hurah has sent out an alert to the human rights network, wrote
the head of the Haitian National Police, Mario Andresol, who has
been very supportive of the work Hurah and AUMOHD have done over
the years. Gentilhomme has gone to the camp twice and has alerted
Atty Fanfan of AUMOHD. On his last visit on June 29 he interviewed
dozens of people including the reputed criminal “Management
Committee.”

After leaving the camp Gentilhomme began receiving an endless stream
of phone calls of more individuals with reports of abuse. His preliminary
report is that indeed the chairlady of this committee has earned
a reputation of being out-of-control, allegedly breaking laws. He
saw with his own eyes the destruction of the tents/shelters of not
only the kids but of others. As of this publication date we are
attempting to engage others, NGO’s and the UN as well as the head
of police in bringing this camp under control.

Note: if you wish to learn how to help street kids, send an
e-mail to Tom Luce

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CLICK HERE TO DONATE
Online or, Send Checks to Florencia Blackburn 2325 Adeline St, Oakland,
Ca 94607

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2. ADVANCING LABOR RIGHTS:series of training
around country on labor code

Pictured, left, is the book, “Extract Of the Workers’
Code:For the Protection of The Rights of Workers”,
prepared by Atty. Evel Fanfan, AUMOHD, and published by the Solidarity
Center (AFL-CIO) in May of this year. Hurah’s Gentilhomme
reported on the public event held on the day of this publication
in Port-Au-Prince.

Note: for purposes of historical interest and for understanding
the complicated network of political interactions in Haiti, readers
are referred to an article touching on the Solidarity Center (an
AFL-CIO project) in the “Half
Hour For Haiti”section of IJDH (Institute for Justice
and Democracy In Haiti). There it is pointed out how the Solidarity
Center i.e., AFL-CIO, was working with a union (Batay Ouvriye) that
supported the 2004 coup against the Aristide government.

Gentilhomme, representing Hurah, Inc., joined a delegation of four
people, Atty. Fanfan of AUMOHD, Ms. Gaëlle Celestin, of the
Women’s Group (GFAMN), Patrick Numa, President of the Independent
General Organization of Workers (OGIT), who went on the first of
a series of training missions, set to reach the 10 departments of
Haiti, held in Ouanaminthe to promote workers rights among unions
using the AUMOHD book on the workers’ code. Ouanaminthe is in the
north on the border with the Dominican Republic, a

A union member, Zachary, from Ouanaminthe had been arbitrarily
arrested recently and AUMOHD launched a case for his liberation.
The training went over the Code, denounced all forms of abuse against
workers, and backed up the case for Zachary.

Pictured
at left is the training session with Atty Fanfan circulating as
the participants are studying the new “Extract Of the Code
For Workers:For the Protection of the Rights of Workers.”

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CLICK HERE TO DONATE
Online or, Send Checks to Florencia Blackburn 2325 Adeline St, Oakland,
Ca 94607

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3. PROGRESS:SOLAR ENERGY (at last!)

Some two years ago our benefactors provided us with $2,000 to
pay for a solar energy system to power one of the Community Human
Rights Council’s office–internet service, computer and cell-phone
charging.

We had experimented with donated equipment and consultation from
Namaste
Solar co-owner, Stephen Kane right from the beginning
so that we would benefit from Haiti’s sun and spare Haiti of more
diesel fuel consumption to conduct our communications–e-mail and
SKYPE–with AUMOHD and colleagues world-wide. Stephan designed a
Hurah special unit and delivered it to a colleague in Florida. Namaste
Solar donated $1200 to our earthquake relief.

Glitch
after glitch ended up in keeping the unit in Florida until last
summer when Joe Namphy, father of our board member, Paul Christian
Namphy, offered to see it shipped to Haiti. He and his wife, Mimi
Beckett, were running an import business of Haitian art (stained
glass and metalwork).Old
World Creations. Then in the fall, Joe, well-known
native Haitian in the national soccer program, unexpectedly died.
Mimi moved to Haiti to be with her son and family and to keep the
business running. She graciously offered to see that our solar system
would be transported to Haiti. As fate would have it the ship carrying
out system arrived on the day of the earthquake and had to turn
back to Florida. Mimi lost her home but was able to re-open her
business to keep her employees at work, and she still undertook
to get our system to us.

Gentilhomme was able to retrieve our system and has installed it
in his room/office and on his roof. It consists of a gray container
for the bank of batteries (4 deep cycle) along with the regulators
plus the one solar panel of 131watts. A problem with the regulator–controlling
the transfer of energy to and from the batteries–is apparently
the result of it’s long travels. We need $100 to replace it. Putting
power directly from the panel to the batteries is not a good solution
according to Stephen. So far with the sun being at its lowest availability–rainy
season–Gentilhomme has been able to keep his equipment running.
Very little power from the public utility has been available.

Gentilhomme
obtained a frame for the solar panel that is secured on the roof.
He has paid for all this set-up (including transporting the system
from across town) with what Hurah has been able to give him so far,
in addition to his other needs–room rent, motorbike, computer etc.

So now the original goal of equipping an office with minimal solar
power has finally been achieved!

Many thanks to our donors, to the Namphy/Beckett family (Old
World Creations)and to Namaste
Solar!!

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CLICK HERE TO DONATE
Online or, Send Checks to Florencia Blackburn 2325 Adeline St, Oakland,
Ca 94607

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4.
TO THE DEFENSE OF PRISONERS

Press Conference

AUMOHD-Rural Justice Center (RJC)

Port-Au-Prince, Haiti

June 16, 2010

by Gentilhomme Jean-Gilles, Hurah reporter

“We condemn the situation of detainees
and prisoners at the National Penitentiary, especially minors. We
call upon the final report on the massacre at Les Cayes prison.”

Atty. Evel Fanfan, AUMOHD

Atty. Dorvil Odler, Rural Justice Center

1. We condemn the unacceptable conditions at the National
Penitentiary now holding 1176 prisoners where not only the rights
and dignity of these people continue to be violated systematically,
but also where the Haitian State, the Minister of Justice, the District
Court of Port-Au-Prince, and the Justices of the Peace never cease
to treat those prisoners as objects kept in concentration. As Mr.
Jean Louis Jouinet, independent expert at the UN says, “the
National Penitentiary of Haiti is the only place on earth that gives
a view of what one thinks of as hell.” In spite of promises
already made, the situation of the prisoners is worsening (food,
water, room to sleep).

2. We condemn the way in which the Ministry of Justice,
the Management of the DAP (administration of the Penitentiary) which
holds more than 50 minors who ought to be in a classroom. The presence
of these children clearly shows that the Haitian State does not
respect the law in general and in particular Resolution 44/15 of
Nov. 20, 1989 of the Constitution concerning the right and dignity
of children. We call for the freedom of these children.

3. AUMOHD and RJC state that there are more than 100
persons at the National Penitentiary who were re-arrested out of
600 who escaped during the earthquake and yet some of these declare
that they had never been in prison and others say that it is true
they were, but had been set free by the Justice Department. We wish
again not only to demand without delay the freedom of these people.
We also encourage those who are victims of this type of situation
to go and lodge their complaints against those who are responsible,
or at least are accomplices in this illegal detention.

4.
We finally take this occasion to ask the Haitian State and all others
responsible for the Aux Cayes (picture left) Prison Massacre to
publish the final report so that the people responsible for this
massacre may be judged.

Note 1: Years ago in Vermont I became acquainted
with the Rural
Justice Center, founded by Maurice Geiger of New Hampshire,
through Katie Fahnestock, one of the key lawyers working for the
center. I had heard they, among other poor nations, were interested
in Haiti. It was happy news to me that Mr. Geiger himself has been
spending time in Haiti working at the National Penitentiary where
Hurah first started. He especially has been involved after the quake.
It is great news that a Haitian lawyer, Atty. Odler is representing
the RJC in this way at the press conference with AUMOHD.

Note 2: The Les Cayes prison massacre, Jan. 19,
has been investigated at length by the NYT’s reporters, DEBORAH
SONTAG and WALT BOGDANICH and has caused quite a stir among human
rights advocates. To read the detailed report CLICK
HERE.

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CLICK HERE TO DONATE
Online or, Send Checks to Florencia Blackburn 2325 Adeline St, Oakland,
Ca 94607

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5. WHITHER HAITI’S RECONSTRUCTION?

by Tom Luce

Everyone asks me, of course, what is happening in Haiti? Is the
relief work really reaching the people who need it? What about this
we hear that reconstruction money is being siphoned off by money
makers, some even selling relief supplies? Who should we be supporting?

Hurah’s Venture Into Sustainable Cooperative Living

Well I thought in January when I began to work around the clock
in response to the earthquake that I was into something practical
and on target for reconstructing Haiti. Our project SIHRH (Sustainable
Investment and Human Rights In Haiti) was built along the lines
of re-developing land via the cooperative movement where the hundreds
of thousands of quake refugees could be resettled permanently on
land they would own, on land that would be cooperatively farmed
with sustainable, renewable, solar powered, environmentally sound
methods; where all children would receive an education; where women
would be equal in managing their lives; where the wealth of the
country would be utilized for things like eco-tourism but whose
profit would be turned back to the coop owners instead of being
siphoned off to international corporations. This all ended for me
on returning from Haiti in March. I don’t think the goal was wacky
or even the actual planning. I believe that we crumpled under the
weight of so much opposition to this model already entrenched so
soundly in traditions, in legal tie ups and the morass of political
game playing.

I have heard that there have been some similar projects by some
groups. I haven’t been able to track them down. My impression is
that the official, overall coordinating group is probably not fostering
cooperative methods. I’ve seen some construction companies offering
post-quake home models. But I have no sense that there is really
a coordinated effort to do things differently for a new Haiti.

So what is the story?

Since failing in our attempt, I’ve begun to notice some remarkable
stirrings.In spite of the dire predictions and depressing reports.
I am listing only a few of the good things that are happening.

1. ARISTIDE FOUNDATION: I mentioned this in the last bulletin,
the Aristide Foundation’s rise to dealing with the earthquake by
organizing shelters for some 10,000, clinics for the injured and
ill. And an immense, systematic organizing of women Check this out
again and for updates: .Aristide
Foundation; Especially their new urban gardening
project. I just donated to it at Haiti
Emergency Relief Fund or send a check to Haiti Emergency
Relief Fund-EBSC,at East Bay Sanctuary Covenant 2362 Bancroft Way,
Berkeley, CA 94704 Specify the program “Mange Lakay Selavi
(Eating from home is the way to live).

2. HAITI PARTNERS:
This is a recombining of some well known groups connected with Beyond
Borders. I have known the leader of the Haiti programs, John Engle,
from a distance for a number of years. This February I was aware
of his having come to work full time in recovery work. Haiti Partners
is combining the amazing community leadership organizing programs
(Open Space based group dynamics) with 1000 students, training 300
teachers. Haiti Partners is a religious based group.

3. BEVERLY
BELL: I have added to my list of critical
analysts of the Haitian scene, Beverly Bell, an Associate “Fellow”
at the Institute for Policy Studies and director of Other World
(click on her name). She has 30 years experience there and has been
working overtime since the earthquake. I like her directions, her
critical sense. I hope she and others can work with the UN team
of Bill Clinton and Dr. Paul Farmer, to be in touch with the real
world of Haiti, the majority of the poor.

4. IJDH: Of course,
there is always IJDH (Institute for Justice and
Democracy in Haiti), Atty. Brian Concannon Director, Atty. Mario
Joseph, Director International Lawyers Bureau, Port-Au-Prince.

5. HAITI
RECONSTRUCTION: a blog that promotes sustainable soil
reconstruction and other agricultural land reforms for the people.

6. SOLAR:
The Solar Electric Light Fund SELF. This link looks like what
I have in mind for reinventing the Haitian power production. I recently
read about a well organized and fine service program in Haiti receiving
250 generators at a value of $250,000. Now I fully understand how
much more handy–at first–a diesel burning generator is, how more
compact it is. I asked our friend from Namaste what it would cost
to build an equivalent solar system for 5500 watts. The cost, of
course, at this point is not small. But as he points out solar lasts
longer, is free after the installation, and, of course, is non polluting.
Let’s hope we can help Haiti avoid the mistake of depending on fossil
fuel instead of their sun power. Here is another solar link:INHABITAT

7. COMPOSTING TOILETS:S.O.I.L.
Sustainable Organic Integrated Livelihoods Our friend,
Sasha Kramer has been too busy to keep up with the demand of the
ecological program she has founded. They are working even in Port-Au-Prince
with Oxfam.

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Human
Rights Accompaniment In Haiti-Hurah, Inc.

a 501(c)(3), non-profit

1515 Fairview St., Berkeley Ca. 94703 President, Tom Luce, president@hurah.org
Blog Site Hurah

To DONATE click
here.Or mail a check to Florencia Blackburn 2325 Adeline St., Oakland,
Ca 94607 TO UNSUBSCRIBE: send an e-mail to president@hurah.org

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POST-QUAKE REPORT – $14,103 For Human Rights Defenders

by Tom Luce, President of Hurah, Inc.

Front yard needed to be made ready for the rains since the office was still not secure.

During my trip to Haiti I delivered $14,103 into the hands of our targeted quake survivor groups, the human rights defenders associated with AUMOHD. We have connected with these community leaders for 5+ years as they worked with the most poor and marginalized inner city victims of violence. Many of these leaders are victims themselves and have risen up to fight for the common good.–as followers of the non-violent, non-partisan tradition. Instead of donating to huge anonymous disaster relief programs we thought it would be more meaningful to help these leaders to get back on their feet to continue their much needed work…. Sadly our partnership with AUMOHD which had formally ended in June 09, is not expected to be renewed.

Most of the money was raised since news of the quake circulated among our 71 Hurah donors (Hurah!!!!).$6,330 purchasd a second hand Toyota pickup with larger rims and tires to handle the worsened road conditions after the quake. The AUMOHD crew used the pickup to connect with, and carry materials to, the hundreds of people needing relief supplies. $3,200 went directly to aid AUMOHD volunteers, including the four (4) Community Human Rights Councils (CHRC). These people suffered themselves, some with loss of family members, many with loss of homes, schools, businesses/work.

The new AUMOHD mobile is filled up with supplies for 26 families who had to evacuate the city, connected to AUMOHD

$1600 went to help restore the AUMOHD office that has become a gathering place for neighbors and a safe haven for all labor groups in Haiti. Coverings for the courtyard were purchased where office equipment, sleeping bags had to be placed and meeting space had to be made due to the dangers threatening the building.from aftershocks. Finally we provided, as requested, Tee Shirts and Caps ($353)with identifying words, AUMOHD, Human Rights, Solidarity Non-violence, Justice, Peace, Unity.

In addition to the financial assistance, I participated in meetings with various individuals within the AUMOHD sphere: the labor movement, the women’s’ movement, the CHRC networks (Community Human Rights Councils), as well as in the larger coalition of small NGO’s mentioned in the next article. (Haiti Response Coalition). I donated my entire travel and lodging expenses as well as several gifts to associates there (camera, solar panel chargers, etc). This was an intense time, sleeping on the ground with these survivor-human rights defenders. It was an inspiring time collaborating with these valiant people moving forward in their own lives and in the rebuilding of their country. Another big part of my time and energy was nurturing our special “seedling” project, the SIHRH (Sustainable Investment and Human Rights in Haiti), the long term socio-economic reform plan for a new Haiti. (More on the cessation of our involvement is available below.)

FIGHTERS FROM THE INNER CITY NEIGHBORHOODS

Representatives from three inner city zones: Grand Ravin, Pele Simon, Croix-des-Bouquets,

We met with representatives from 3 of the inner city “Community Human Rights Councils” -CHRC, from top left clockwise, Pele Simon, Croix-des-Bouquets, AUMOHD Lawyer Atty. Toussaint, and Grand Ravin.  All these courageous people have worked for years fighting for their neighbors rights, following massacres, house burnings, illegal jailings, beatings.  They believe in non-violence, have the unwavering patience to stick with the politicized and lengthy process of justice.  And now they are victims of the mammoth seismic blow, but still bouncing back. One important topic I wanted clarification on: would they recommend that people move to the countryside to take up a new way of living, a sustainable, green, democratic, inclusive, cooperative?  The answer was a resounding yes!

Gaëlle Celestin, Organizer of a women's group, meeting with victims of domestic abuse and exploitation as household workers.

Gaëlle Celestin, far right in green shirt, is leading a women’s group in the courtyard.  Gaëlle came to work with AUMOHD last year, did some reporting for Hurah and then was recruited by the Irish human rights defenders group, Frontline, to do training for leaders of women’s groups.  She founded a group named GFANM (Women’s Group) which now meets at AUMOHD, domestic violence being a chief issue.  Another issue for the women is the terrible labor conditions for domestic workers.  Gaëlle and her family lost their home and are living at the AUMOHD office.

AMNESTY International reps visit AUMOHD

There was a day when Amnesty International didn’t have an on-the-ground connection with alternative human rights groups.  Around the time of the coup against Pres. Aristide, there were only a couple of “traditional” human rights groups being depended on for information except for the groups affiliated with Pres. Aristide. This began to change in early 05 when AUMOHD supporters began pressing AI to check out other sources. Since then Gerardo Ducos, left, has regularly consulted with AUMOHD and has defended AUMOHD, including Pres. Evel Fanfan, second from left, when he was being besieged with death threats for his support of victims
of massacres perpetrated by anti-Aristide forces.  Gaëlle Celestin is third from left, now the leader of the Womens’ Group – GFanm, and another staffer from AI.  Gerardo and his other AI staffer were going to spend 3 weeks doing research for AI’s report on the reaches of the quake’s damage to people and their rights, especially the women.

Small solar energy system donated by Hurah with two 80w panels that ran the ISP router and a couple of laptops until the quake.

At the very beginning in 2004 it seemed to me that one thing we should get free is electricity from
the sun.  We were taken early on by the bogus ads (there are still some of these products around
which I brought even this year) that touted a small single panel you could put in a backpace would
power a laptop!  Then Namaste Solar supporter, Stephen Kane, came to our rescue and showed us how 2 80W panels with a bank of 4 batteries could run an internet router and at least one computer efficiently during the day and into the night.  Because of safety concerns the system was set up at Pres. Fanfan’s house and from there our internet communications flourished.  When we learned about the Hainet (an ISP) “magic box”, a little wireless router that can be carried anywhere, it could be brought to the office during the day where it was powered by the diesel generator–bought by friends of AUMOHD without ever trying to work collaboratively on a real solar system.  Last year Namaste gave us a new, custom built inverter and battery metal case and that worked even better.  Luckily the system did not get damaged by the quake.  So thanks to the folks at Matthew 25 House–site now of a 1300 person tent city– we were driven in a van to pick up the batteries and bring them to the office to be used until the new system gets installed. This house has been a guest house for people working in parish-to-parish programs for 30 years.

New solar system to meet entire electrical needs of AUMOHD office incuding a refrigerator.

Twelve 80w panels will power all of AUMOHD’s electrical needs thanks to Hurah’s promoting of solar power with a cooperating agency.  Another great benefit from the earthquake!

UN tank and soldiers are protecting the temporary quarters of a variety of NGO's near the airport.

Among the many meetings I went to was at the temporary headquarters of UNICEF.  Almost every
government agency was demolished by the quake, the UN itself suffered total destruction and 200 killed.  UNICEF is now housed down near the airport on the land occupied by the Haitian Judiciary Police.  I rode on the back of a broken down motorbike with Gentilhomme– our new trainee in communications–down the crowded streets to this office.  We were lobbying for getting more adequate tempoary housing for a home for boys —three houses- destroyed by the quake.  This UN tank and soldiers are guarding the perimeter.

Senator Moïse Jean-Charles -left- (ally since 2004), chair of the Agriculture Committee, and Senator Youri Latortue -raised hand, supporter of credit unions, in the makeshift quarters of the Haitian parliament (their new building was demolished).

Directly facing us is Senator Moïses Jean-Charles from northern Haiti.  Gesturing on the right is
Senator Youri Latortue known probably best of all as the nephew of Gerard Latortue the interim Prime Minister when Pres. Aristide was ousted.  We were making contact with the senators on the
agricultural committee because of our support for a resettlement program that would place refugees on country land in green, cooperatively owned land.  Moïses is someone I personally helped when he was being harassed up north shortly before the elections in 2006.

AN IDEAL SOLUTION FOR QUAKE VICTIMS: MOVE BACK TO THE LAND HOWEVER, IT HAS NOT COME TO PASS.

Tom Luce with the Galette Chambon land cooperative after they signed the request to initiate the new plan to resettle 15,000 refugees with our plan, SIHRH. Feb. 24

The day after earthquake hit we began working on long term resettlement program first entitled, “Sustainable Safety Response-SSR.”  I have never worked so long, late into the early morning and up before dawn, trying to develop the rationale and the connections that this forward-looking solution to the 400,000 refugees we knew were going to appear very soon.  We developed this in concert with Haitians and Haitian-Americans who sought us out because of our non-violent, non-partisan work for human rights.  They wanted human rights to be central to the coop they envisioned.  This long range plan became clearly something that was being left out in the early days after the quake.  The plan was actually an offer by an existing land cooperative, Galette Chambon, to incorporate 15,000 refugees.  With the proper backing, disaster relief agencies, financing institutions and donors this expandable model could be handled.  This model was following some of the most classic Haitian solutions to social structures: cooperative, sustainable agriculture, solar powered, education for all children.  And it could be replicated around the country creating a new Haiti.

TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE?  I DIDN’T THINK SO.

There are those, I’m sure, who thought this was pie-in-the-sky or worse, a scam project.  I personally checked out the major angles: did such a coop exist, were they really making this huge offer, what experience was available from financing and managerial services?  I engaged AUMOHD in working on the project and we made personal visits to the actual land coop where the model concept had already been begun, Galette Chambon. There was a really volatile issue clouding our work–a credit union “ponzi” scheme in the early 2000′s that soured everyone on people oriented banking. The closure of the Haitian Development Bank (BHD) in 2002 which was conceived and created to support the economic needs of over 100 coops who wanted to settle the countryside back in the early 2000′s was what our consultant was willing to bring back to life.  It meant getting the Haitian president to execute a court order to open the BHD.  Now with the urban slums squashed, what better solution than planned agriculturally based comunity living?  We put out informational e-mails, bulletins.  We sought endorsement from leading human rights groups.  What more just solution to slums than real land ownership–cooperative — to make ownership more accessible to the poor?  And real ownership of economic enterprises such as AgroTourism.  Sharing the wealth of the land and people’s work.  Early on, of course, we got rejected by those folks who don’t believe in cooperativism–even progressives don’t buy it.  Not to mention those who think “that’s socialism!”

SEAN PENN WAS INTERESTED!  PROSPECTIVE SETTLERS INTERESTED!

After receiving positive feed back from a couple of donors, including Sean Penn, who seemed to grasp the genius of the “back to the land” model –now called by us Sustainable Investment and Human Rights In Haiti SIHRH — we thought we were going to move ahead.  However, our real shortcomings in terms of dealing with the logistics of managing became glaringly clear.  We needed to find an alternative to the BHD, in my opinion, because we were getting nowhere with the campaign to reopen it.  We had no staff to handle the meetings and visits on site just to get preliminaries going.  And then how were the 15,000 IDP’s (Internally Displace Persons) going to be recruited and selected.  I had been confronted with even progressive people with the objection that people wouldn’t want to leave their familiar surroundings, they shouldn’t have to find new ways to find a way to earn some money.  That turned out to be the easiest argument to refute.  When I met with our 4 CHRC (Community Human Rights Council), the very people and places affected the most by the quake, they said they would have the 15,000 people the next morning for the move.  We talked about forming screening committees, working on education about the requirements for cooperative living, commitment to green living, etc. etc.

FELL APART UNDER OUR OWN WEIGHT

It all came to a halt on March 25 when after a week of dealing with our management failures in communication, nailing down responsibilities and especially a switch in dealing with the reopening of the BHD, I became convinced that we had to slow down and solve these problems before we began setting up meetings with donors.  My fellow allies couldn’t agree, so I had to withdraw my support.  I felt Hurah’s integrity was at stake.  I was unwilling to bring donors to our unprepared state of management and risk getting into agreements that we couldn’t fulfill.  At this writing it is unclear whether anyone will keep the project going.  I feel as though I’ve had someone die in the family, more though, because of the jeopardy the 15,000 people are now in of losing this opportunity.  I’ve said I’m still open to working out the problems in collaboration with donors who would really understand our shortcomings.  We will continue to promote solutions like SIHRH.

My bedroom for 3 weeks, on gravel, not as bad as I thought. Actually I was comfortable.

I slept inside the new AUMOHD office the first 3 nights of my stay, thinking that it was safe, having weathered the big quake and many aftershocks.  But on night #3 there were two aftershocks in a row that shook my bed and the whole room.  I moved out and down into the courtyard on the gravel with what turned out to be a great little solution, a one-person tent that was very nicely ventilated–as long as I had the big rain tarp covering the whole yard.  A 3/4inch blow-up mattress turned out to be just fine along with an expandable pillow.  I never had any aches or pains.  There were probably a dozen sometimes sharing the courtyard in several larger tents.  Most Haitians were not trusting the buildings at that time. I intentionally focused on what we could do to help people get back on track.  I saw a lot of devastation, but no dead bodies as was the case early after the quake.

The mother of a friend of ours lived in this house pictured here completely flattened except for the rear left.

Here is the rear of this elderly woman's house.

And here is the reason why the woman wasn't killed. One beam held up.

The armchair in which she was sitting and from which she was rescued.

As most accurate reporters have written the Haitian people have quickly, those who are able, returned to their normal routines, selling wares in their sidewalk stalls, going shopping, to work, to the banks. Even those who are housed in tent cities have to get about and continue on.

Taptaps (you tap on the drivers window to signl him to stop) are busy ferrying people up and down the huge avenue of Delmas with its ruins on every block.

Tom Luce in front seat of a “tap-tap” heading down Delmas Ave. the day before he headed back home via Florida (Mar. 7). In the cab with him is Gentilhomme Jean-Gilles who has worked with HURAH since 2007.  HURAH has offered him a scholarship of computers and a motorbike to become a Trainee In Communication.  With his reporting HURAH will be able to keep in touch with what is going on among our human rights defender friends and their future plans.  Gentilhomme lost his home and a family member in the quake and one of his legs was injured.  Before the quake, he had been enrolled in a technology school, which was destroyed.  HURAH and Gentilhomme will help each other in the months to come.  Please consider this “Trainee” program when you think you might like to support HURAH’s efforts financially.  By helping him with gasoline for a motorbike and phone bills he will be able to do more keeping HURAH up to date with work on the ground in Haiti.  Your HURAH donations have already provided Gentilhomme with a laptop and other communications gear. We also have asked him to work with the Haiti Response Coalition, the coalition of small grassroots Haitian relief agencies trying to fill the inevitable gaps in international relief efforts.

Jean Luc “Djalòki” Dessables co-founded the Haiti Response Coalition (HRC) to bring Haitian grassroots agencies  into the decision-making processes of foreign non-governmental organizations (NGOs). The challenge is to connect traditional NGOs–from the Red Cross to UNICEF to other international agencies–with the priorities that Haitians set for themselves to enable institutional change – to help Haitians help themselves.  HRC is an attempt to give local Haitian agencies a place at the table by uniting grassroots community groups as they prioritize, organize, and strategize for the future.

Djalòki Dessables Addresses the HRC

The national HRC meeting lasted two exhausting days.  All the proceedings will be posted on the HRC website.  HURAH provided English translation services for the HRC‘s press release.  The attendance the first day of the retreat was around 80 and grew to over 100 the second day.

HRC National Meeting Attendees

The format used for the meeting was “Open Space” – a disciplined meeting methodology in wide use internationally.  The idea is to provide a work space – through groupings of like-minded folks driven by the same passion – for people to move together.  Participants were encouraged to write down a question or goal they are passionate about – given the general theme  of rebuilding Haiti.  Then these papers were posted and people “shopped” around to find like-minded individuals.  If a proposal attracted two 0r three people, it became a sub-group.  These groups then met and hammered out full proposals, and the members of the group become accountable for the actions they defined.

HRC Members in Action

After each small group met a representative presented the small group’s recommendations.  The plenary group had the right to accept or reject the requests.

Community-based change in action - HRC Proposals

Read more about the HRC here.

After the HRC meeting, HURAH was invited to visit a tent city set up in a soccer stadium near AUMOHD‘s headquarters in Delmas.   Despite continued difficulties with aid distribution, the camp was very calm and organized, and each resident is identified according to the neighborhood they evacuated and their family connections.  Far from chaotic, the tent communities HURAH has visited have been impressive.

Delmas Tent City

HURAH also visited Evel Fanfan’s Delmas neighborhood, very heavily damaged in the earthquake.  He and his family are lucky to be alive.  His home, only half-completed before the quake, was severely damaged.

Evel Fanfan's damaged home

Other buildings in the neighborhood were completely destroyed.

Another complete collapse.

These homes next door to Fanfan’s house were totally demolished.

The stairs on the side of Evel’s home.

Miraculously, no one in Evel’s family was injured in the quake.

After a two-day retreat held at the Cannes à Sucre public park, the press committee of the Haiti Response Coalition (HRC) – a collaboration among Haitian progressive, social, and human rights groups  – met at AUMOHD‘s meeting space.  HURAH funds provided lunch and new tarps for the meeting.  Leading Haitian human rights lawyer Mario Joseph and Djaloki Dessables, long time Haitian-American promoter and HRC co-coordinator, were among the many attendees.

Press Committee Meeting at AUMOHD HQ

The HRC is designed to increase the influence of grassroots Haitian social justice groups over the decision-making processes of international relief organizations.  The United Nations and other relief agencies have created dozens of NGO “clusters” that are essential to getting services to those on the ground.  HRC will attempt to provide better access to these clusters.

Tent Cities – Not a Permanent Solution

HURAH visited several of Port-au-Prince’s tent cities, temporary home now to hundreds of thousands of displaced Haitians.  It should become clear from these photos that these camps are not a permanent solution.  HURAH is advocating for a massive civilian relocation project, and is working with several partners to to establish a new community at Galette Chambon in the countryside for at least some of these people.  Overcrowding in Port-au-Prince was overwhelming before the earthquake, and the quake has added new energy to efforts like HURAH’s Sustainable Investment and Human Rights in Haiti project (SIHRH).

Matthew 25

First up is Mathew 25, a tent city that is home to more than 1000 displaced Haitians.

Mathew 25 Tent City

Matthew 25 has a small field hospital (below), but no functioning toilets yet.  The International Lions Club provided most of the tents.

Matthew 25 Tent City Field Hospital

Of course, the dilemma is that the more that facilities are developed with amenities, the more likely its residents are to want to stay.  How do you provide immediate relief services to people in desperate need without encouraging permanent settlement?  Simply moving shantytowns from one part of the city to the other is not a long-term solution.

Alleyway in Matthew 25 IDP Camp

Pétionville Tent City – Home to More than 60,000 Displaced Persons

Next HURAH visited the tent city that arose on the grounds of the Pétionville Golf Club. This tent city grew from some of the first aid airdrops from the 82nd Airborne soon after the quake.  Built on a hillside, more than 60,000 people live here now.  These photos truly cannot convey the sprawling nature of this encampment.

Pétionville Tent City - 60,000 residents

The Pétionville camp is run by Catholic Relief Services, and they have begun to install basic services like the latrines below.  However, the entire encampment is built on a hillside, and when the spring rains come, one can only imagine what the conditions will be like.

Pétionville Latrines

Hillside in Pétionville encampment

In spite of the conditions, Haitians are still able to manage to keep up their spirits, they have even built a cinema to distract from daily deprivations.

Pétionville cinema

One of AUMOHD’s most pressing needs after the earthquake was transportation.  AUMOHD headquarters is located in mid-Delmas (49) separate from, but part of the capital sprawl of overcrowded city housing and burdened with end-to-end traffic and the crush of sidewalk vendors.  With cellphone service spotty and electricity non-existent, in order to effectively communicate with the various groups it supports, AUMOHD needed to be mobile.  The previous AUMOHD vehicle purchased with HURAH funds was destroyed in the quake. With financial support from HURAH, AUMOHD was able to secure this used, but beautiful Toyota pickup truck (the engine in this vehicle, the 1994 Toyota 22RE, is the most reliable gas-combustion engine ever produced, and should serve AUMOHD for years to come) .  Pictured also is the bullhorn AUMOHD President Evel Fanfan requested for use in addressing mass meetings.  HURAH President Tom Luce transported the bullhorn all the way from in Berkeley, CA.

The AUMOHDmobile, and the new bullhorn, purchased with HURAH donations

The AUMOHDmobile was put into immediate service, transporting women labor organizers from their homes all across Port-au-Prince to a labor rights training session.

Women labor organizers arrive for labor rights training meeting

In partnership with ACILS, AUMOHD conducts trainings on labor rights for Haitian workers.  Sweatshops abound in Port-au-Prince, and basic labor rights are often ignored.  Part of AUMOHD’s mission is to educate labor organizers on their rights.  This poster hanging at AUMOHD headquarters depicts rights for domestic workers.

Domestic worker rights poster

Here are a few more shots of the AUMOHDmobile:

Durable Bed liner and Roll Cage

Room for four passengers in the cab